wait i'm confused...if i'm getting ssi now and my husband retires next year do i get a higher benefit? or do i have to pick one or the other?? we've been married 23 years

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this confusion! This is actually one of the most common misunderstandings about Social Security benefits. What you're experiencing is called "dual entitlement" - you can't receive both your own benefit AND the full spousal benefit stacked on top of each other. Here's what's happening: SSA takes the higher of either (1) your own retirement benefit OR (2) 50% of your ex-husband's Primary Insurance Amount. If 50% of his PIA is higher than your own benefit, you get your own benefit PLUS just enough spousal benefit to bring you up to that 50% level. So if your own benefit is $1,288 and 50% of his PIA is $1,500, you'd only get $212 more per month ($1,500 total), not $1,500 on top of your $1,288. The good news is your calculation is probably correct - it's just that the "50% spousal benefit" isn't what most people think it means. Definitely call to verify they used the right ex-spouse's record though, just to be sure!

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! Sounds like 3 months before is the sweet spot. Going to start gathering my documents now so I'm ready to apply in February. One last question - is it better to apply online or should I make an appointment at my local office?

I just went through this process myself last year! Applied exactly 3 months before my FRA birthday and everything went smoothly. One tip that saved me time - create your my Social Security account online first if you haven't already. You can review your earnings history and get an estimate of your benefits before applying. Also, certified copies of documents work just fine - you don't need originals. The online application took me about 30 minutes and I was able to save it partway through when I realized I needed to grab my bank routing number. Got my first payment right on schedule!

One last thing to be aware of: Even though there's no penalty for working at FRA, you should still report any significant changes in your earning situation to SSA. This helps avoid any potential misunderstandings or incorrect benefit calculations. You can report wages through your my Social Security account online or by calling them directly.

Just wanted to add something that might help with your planning - since you mentioned wanting to be extra careful about the earnings limit before your FRA month. You can actually request that SSA withhold taxes from your Social Security benefits if you're concerned about the tax implications of having both work income and SS benefits. This can help avoid a big tax bill at the end of the year. You can set this up through your my Social Security account online or by submitting Form W-4V. Given that you'll have both salary and SS income for part of the year, it might be worth considering to make tax time easier!

Just wanted to add one important point that might help with your planning - even though you can claim ex-spouse benefits at 62, you might want to consider waiting a bit longer if possible. The reduction isn't just a small amount - it's permanent and significant. At 62, you'd get about 32.5-35% of your ex's full benefit amount, but if you wait until your Full Retirement Age (likely 67), you'd get the full 50%. That's a substantial difference that will last for the rest of your life. I know it's tough to wait when you need the income, but even waiting a few extra years could make a big financial difference. You might want to run the numbers to see if you can make it work with other income sources until you're closer to your FRA.

The SSA website has a retirement estimator tool that can give you ballpark figures, but since you don't have enough work credits for your own benefits, it won't be as helpful for your situation. For ex-spouse benefits, you'll need to estimate based on your ex-husband's earnings record, which you obviously don't have access to. Here's what I'd suggest: Contact SSA and ask for a benefit estimate based on your ex-spouse's record. They can provide this information since you're eligible as a divorced spouse. You can also use rough estimates - if you know approximately what your ex earned during his working years, the average Social Security benefit is around $1,900/month in 2024. So at your FRA, you'd get about $950/month (50% of his benefit), but at 62 you'd only get around $630-665/month (the reduced amount). Also consider that if you do find part-time work now, you could potentially earn enough credits to qualify for a small benefit on your own record, which might supplement the ex-spouse benefit. Even earning $7,000/year would get you 4 credits annually. Something to think about as you weigh your options!

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice! I've learned so much. I'm going to try the Claimyr service to get through to SSA this week and make sure I ask about WEP/GPO since I did have that teaching pension. I'll gather all my documents and request benefit estimates for all three scenarios. I really appreciate all your help - this has been so confusing to figure out on my own!

As someone who went through a similar situation a few years ago, I want to emphasize something that hasn't been mentioned yet - timing is everything! Since you're already 63 and receiving reduced survivor benefits, you need to be very strategic about any switches. One thing to consider: if your ex-husband is still alive and hasn't claimed his benefits yet, his benefit amount could still increase if he delays claiming until age 70. However, your divorced spouse benefit would still be calculated on his Full Retirement Age amount (50%), not his delayed retirement amount. Also, keep detailed records of every conversation you have with SSA representatives. Get names, dates, and case numbers. I had conflicting information from different reps and having documentation helped resolve the confusion later. The GPO/WEP issue mentioned by others is serious - I know teachers who were shocked to discover their benefits were reduced by amounts they never knew about. Make sure you get this in writing from SSA, not just verbal confirmation. Good luck with Claimyr - that service has helped several people I know get through to SSA much faster than calling directly!